Republicans want to turn back the clock

Published: Monday, September 3, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, September 3, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.

“The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor.”

— Voltaire

In 1895, George Vanderbilt put Asheville on the map when he settled there in what is still the largest private residence in America.

One intriguing aspect of the house design leaves many a visitor questioning, “Why aren’t there sinks in the bathrooms?” The answer is a fascinating reflection of the glitter and glamour of the time. Designed to pamper those whose good fortune it was to be wealthy, guests had servants to draw a pitcher of hot water for them, and to draw their bath as well.

Built during the sumptuous days of the gilded age, the Biltmore House is a living testimony to the kind of luxury most of us can only imagine.

In those days, the great majority of those who had money had lots and lots and lots of it. Those who didn’t were … well, there were an awful lot of poor people. What there wasn’t a lot of was a thriving middle class as we know it today.

In fact, if we could take a trip back to the “good old days” of 100 years ago, most of us would come away horrified. For example, if a working man died without life insurance 100 years ago, his widow might have to put her children in an orphanage if she had no family to fall back on. Even with family, the death of a parent was the cause of many a child leaving school to go to work.

Once at work, children were not protected by child labor laws, much as the children in Third World countries (where we’ve exported our manufacturing jobs) have little or no protection from being exploited today. If a child was injured on the job, his employer was under no obligation to take care of him. But the employer could definitely fire him because he could no longer work.

Back at home, mom had no such thing as welfare or social services to fall back on. There was no Head Start for her younger children to utilize while she worked. There were no school lunch programs.

If your parents didn’t have food to send along to school, you didn’t eat lunch (unless someone else was kind enough to share).

If you were lucky enough to finish high school, college was a dream often reserved for the well to do.

There were no Pell Grants. In an age of such vast educational opportunities, it’s hard for us to imagine what life would be like if only those of means could afford to educate their children. Even now, with the cost of education rising, college is an expensive proposition. Without public schools and colleges, it would become an impossible dream for many.

As you got older, life became difficult if you had no family to care for you. There was no Social Security plan and no Medicare. Even the largest companies were not expected to provide a pension plan or to match your savings in a 401(k). Then again, this kind of thing wasn’t nearly the problem then as it would be today because people didn’t live as long. If you got to be 63 (my age), you were really doing well.

If you got sick and needed to be in a hospital, you might just opt to stay home and die. Hospitals were not the clean, well-lighted places they are today. And there was no one to mandate the lifesaving care the poor and indigent (much of the population in those days) must have to stay alive.

But again, people didn’t live as long, and if you had a terminal illness it was “real tough luck,” so it wasn’t a big drain on the national health care infrastructure. If you were sick, you died. Simple. Unless, of course, you were rich.

If your employer took advantage of you, there was little recourse.

(Unions were just getting started.) You could be fired for no reason, and there was no such thing as unemployment benefits. If you didn’t like it, you could always vote to change the law — if you were a man.

Women, of course, had no say in the matter. No vote. Of course, black people (excuse me, Negroes in those days) couldn’t vote, either. Nor could job-stealing immigrants or Indians.

The flip side of those days was that no one even thought about admitting they were homosexual, let alone fight for the right to live together, and abortion was not available. Then again, we did have more orphanages, what with all the unwanted kids and no social services to support them. But we’ve already been all through that part of it.

If any of this is starting to ring a little bell in your mind, good for you. Obviously, you’ve been paying attention. As we’ve been slowly introduced to the Republican plan for rejuvenating the economy, it basically comes down to a reversal of just about all of the social legislation of the 20th century.

Tax cuts would be paid for by cutting or eliminating most of the programs mentioned here. Basically, the programs that gave America a flourishing middle class for almost a century.

The wealthy would go back to the silken luxuries afforded by the Vanderbilts and Rockefellers and Carnegies. And then there would be the rest of us.

<p>“The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor.”</p><p>— Voltaire</p><p>In 1895, George Vanderbilt put Asheville on the map when he settled there in what is still the largest private residence in America.</p><p>One intriguing aspect of the house design leaves many a visitor questioning, “Why aren't there sinks in the bathrooms?” The answer is a fascinating reflection of the glitter and glamour of the time. Designed to pamper those whose good fortune it was to be wealthy, guests had servants to draw a pitcher of hot water for them, and to draw their bath as well.</p><p>Built during the sumptuous days of the gilded age, the Biltmore House is a living testimony to the kind of luxury most of us can only imagine.</p><p>In those days, the great majority of those who had money had lots and lots and lots of it. Those who didn't were … well, there were an awful lot of poor people. What there wasn't a lot of was a thriving middle class as we know it today.</p><p>In fact, if we could take a trip back to the “good old days” of 100 years ago, most of us would come away horrified. For example, if a working man died without life insurance 100 years ago, his widow might have to put her children in an orphanage if she had no family to fall back on. Even with family, the death of a parent was the cause of many a child leaving school to go to work.</p><p>Once at work, children were not protected by child labor laws, much as the children in Third World countries (where we've exported our manufacturing jobs) have little or no protection from being exploited today. If a child was injured on the job, his employer was under no obligation to take care of him. But the employer could definitely fire him because he could no longer work.</p><p>Back at home, mom had no such thing as welfare or social services to fall back on. There was no Head Start for her younger children to utilize while she worked. There were no school lunch programs.</p><p>If your parents didn't have food to send along to school, you didn't eat lunch (unless someone else was kind enough to share).</p><p>If you were lucky enough to finish high school, college was a dream often reserved for the well to do.</p><p>There were no Pell Grants. In an age of such vast educational opportunities, it's hard for us to imagine what life would be like if only those of means could afford to educate their children. Even now, with the cost of education rising, college is an expensive proposition. Without public schools and colleges, it would become an impossible dream for many.</p><p>As you got older, life became difficult if you had no family to care for you. There was no Social Security plan and no Medicare. Even the largest companies were not expected to provide a pension plan or to match your savings in a 401(k). Then again, this kind of thing wasn't nearly the problem then as it would be today because people didn't live as long. If you got to be 63 (my age), you were really doing well.</p><p>If you got sick and needed to be in a hospital, you might just opt to stay home and die. Hospitals were not the clean, well-lighted places they are today. And there was no one to mandate the lifesaving care the poor and indigent (much of the population in those days) must have to stay alive.</p><p>But again, people didn't live as long, and if you had a terminal illness it was “real tough luck,” so it wasn't a big drain on the national health care infrastructure. If you were sick, you died. Simple. Unless, of course, you were rich.</p><p>If your employer took advantage of you, there was little recourse.</p><p>(Unions were just getting started.) You could be fired for no reason, and there was no such thing as unemployment benefits. If you didn't like it, you could always vote to change the law — if you were a man.</p><p>Women, of course, had no say in the matter. No vote. Of course, black people (excuse me, Negroes in those days) couldn't vote, either. Nor could job-stealing immigrants or Indians.</p><p>The flip side of those days was that no one even thought about admitting they were homosexual, let alone fight for the right to live together, and abortion was not available. Then again, we did have more orphanages, what with all the unwanted kids and no social services to support them. But we've already been all through that part of it.</p><p>If any of this is starting to ring a little bell in your mind, good for you. Obviously, you've been paying attention. As we've been slowly introduced to the Republican plan for rejuvenating the economy, it basically comes down to a reversal of just about all of the social legislation of the 20th century.</p><p>Tax cuts would be paid for by cutting or eliminating most of the programs mentioned here. Basically, the programs that gave America a flourishing middle class for almost a century.</p><p>The wealthy would go back to the silken luxuries afforded by the Vanderbilts and Rockefellers and Carnegies. And then there would be the rest of us.</p>